Friday, January 06, 2012

Pre - Race

Well two days to go and the season is over. This weekend should be fun, but it is always a little hard to end the season...especially when your form is on the way up.

I took a few days off after Chicago because I was smashed. Two days of hard racing and two days of good recovery. By the time Wednesday rolled around I needed to get out and do some riding. I also had some other things to take care off...wheels from Cycle-Ops, wheels getting worked on from my homey Mike Heenan, wheels to drop off for the MWI team. My best option was to drive to Madison, take care of all my business including registration and pre-riding the course.

I dropped a wheel at Saris, I picked up my lucky #14 race bib, picked up and dropped of some wheels with Mike, then suited up to check out the National Championship course. There has been a lot of talk about this race course. Too easy, too icy, whatever it is it IS and I needed to check it out. I started out the ride w/ a 1 hour spin around Verona and then headed to the course for a lap between the Womens and Mens SS race. It was tough. Soggy false flats, mud covered ice, slippery off camber corners, and a hard hard ground that doesn't allow you to run too low of a tire pressure.

﻿﻿I got a lap in but I needed more, so I set up a trainer and spun for another 40 minutes while watching Tim rock the SS race. Then I headed out for two more laps. First at 22 psi and it was good for the mud, but too soft, then at 24 psi which was about perfect. Who knows how much it will change between now and then, but it sounds like its still muddy. The coolest part about the course preview though was running into one of my favorite sponsors HED Cycling...check this out! As I mtb'er I really hope to rock these next year!

HED's new disc specific Stinger 5

HED also had a disc hub laced to an Ardennes!

Today I spent chillin' and cleanin'. I cleaned the house so we can be ready to leave for Tucson as soon as possible! Again I can't wait for the Momentum Endurance Training Camp! Then I spent some time with the bikes. New cables and housing, cleaned and regreased the BB's and headsets, and then gave the bikes a good bath! They needed it after the CCCNYR.

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the calm before the storm

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8 degrees in December of '08 at Lambeau

Now its time for a dinner, a movie, and early to bed. A little warm up ride tomorrow followed by some football and another night at home in my own bed. Then Sunday morning I'll drive over set up shop and let it rip! I can't beleive the weather. 5 years ago we went to Brett Favre's last home regular season game at Lambeau..we need every possible item of clothing to stay warm. It was 8 that day. We are lucky! See you there!